Turbine support



Jul 14, 1931. R. c. ALLEN 1,814,626

TURBINE SUPPORT Filed Oct. 12, 1926 R. C. A [Len INVENTOR WITNESSATTORNEY;

BY wm Patented July 14, 1 931 UNITE STATES ROBERTO. ALLEN,

PATENT OFFICE OF SWARTHMORE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSEELECTRIC 8: MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA TURBINE SUPPORT.

Application filed. October 12, 19 26 7 Serial No. 141,136.

My invention relates to a support for a massive body, more especially toa support for the cylinder structure of an elastic fluid turbine, and ithas for an object to provide a support'which will eliminate distortionof the body or cylinder structure, due to set tling of the foundation orother changesin the relative positions of the points of support in thefoundation. is 'A further object is to provide a three-point support fora turbine cylinder structure which is suitable for the generalconditions found in power plants, and which distributes the weight overa suffieient number of points on the foundation.

In central station power plants the cylinder structures are so largethat it is common to support them on the foundation at five points, onepoint usually being at the high pressure or thrust end and two points oneach side near the low pressure end. Itwill be apparent, however, thatsettling of the foundation or expansion of the foundation columns due totemperature changes may cause a change in the relative verticalpositions of the points of support. Such changes distort the turbinecylinder structure, causing a weakening thereof and disturbing the bladeclearances. Disturbance of the blade clearances, in turn, causes rubbingof the parts where the clearances are reduced or taken up, and excessiveleakage where the clearances are increased.

Distortion of the turbine cylinder struc T ture may be avoidedbysupporting it at three points. If the vertical position of one pointis then changed, the cylinder structure will merely turn about the othertwo points as a pivot without changing the portion of the load taken byeach point of support, and therefore without distorting the cylinderstructure.

A three-point support, however, presents the difliculty of distributingthe heavy 5 weight of the structure on the foundation.

The large turbines of modern power plants are so heavy that the load oneach point of the foundation would be excessive if they were supportedat only three points on the foundation.

the weight of the turbine on the foundation.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating two embodiments of myinvention:

Fig. 1 is a side'elevation of the preferred embodiment Fig. 2 is a planview thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I. show a turbine cylinderstructure 10 having an inlet 11 at the high pressure end and an ex-'haustconnection 12 at the low pressure end, providing communicationbetween the exhaust chamber of the turbine and a condenser 13 disposedbeneath and attached to the cylinder structure. The condenser 13 isdisposed in the space 15 provided in the foundation 16;

Supporting members 17 which may be in the form of longitudinal beamsdisposed acrossthe condenser space with their ends resting on pads 18 onthe foundation, are

provided to distribute the load of the'cylinder structure. The cylinderstructure is provided with downwardly facing flat surfaces 14 ofrelatively small area, which may be forme'd'on lugs 14 extending fromthe sides of the cylinder at the low pressure end. The surfaces restupon the supporting members intermediate the ends thereof and permitsome rocking and sliding due to expansion of the cylinder.

As will be apparent from the drawings, the surfaces 14: are disposedsubstantially in the vertical plane passing through the center of thecondenser. By this arrangement the weight of the condenser istransmitted almost directly to the supporting members, imposing minimumload on the turbine cylinder structure. 7

At the high pressure end, the cylinder structure is supported by apedestal 19, slidingly mounted on the sole plate 20. The sole plate isrigidly secured on the foundation and provided with walls 21 whichrestrain lateral movement of the pedestal 19 but permit longitudinalsliding. A vertically disposed centering pin 18, rigidly secured to thefoundation, extends vertically through an opening in lug; 22-,whichextends from and is secured to the low pressure end of the cylinderstructure. This pin and lug prevent lateral or longitudinal movement atthe low pressure end, but do permit vertical move ment. The center lineof the turbine is therefore maintained by the lug22, and'pedestal'lS).

and longitudinal expansion of the turbine is taken care of by thesliding of, pedestal 19, such sliding being awayfrom the low pressureend.

Should the foundation, 16 in settling shift the relative position of oneof the points of support, the end of the supporting member 17' restingat that point will be moved accordingly. The movement, transmitted: to.

theadjacent bracket 14, however, will be less, depending upon therelative distances of the bracket from the ends of member 17. Theposition of the cylinder structure will be shifted at this point but,thedistribution of the weightof the structure among the three pointswill not be disturbed.

From the above description, itfwill be apparent that I have provided athree-point support for the turbine and have at the time distributed theload over five points on. the foundation in such a manner thatapractical foundation can be built with. a, proper space for thecondenser.

While in the illustrated embodiment the rotor bearings are containedwithin the cyl inder structure, it Will-be apparent to. those skilledinthe. art that, the'bearings, may be supported, in any suitable mannerknown in the art. My invention contemplatesthe support of the cylinderstructure whether the rotor is supported by the cylinder structure orotherwise.

While I have described my invention as. applied to an elastic fluidturbine structure, I desire it understood that this is merely for thepurpose of illustration, the invention being particularly useful in.connection therewith, but it may be, applied to any massive body whichit is desired to support in a. manner to prevent distortion thereof;

Itwill be apparent that details of my invention may bemodifiedj in manyrespects without departing from the principle thereofl, Forexample,thepoints of support of the turbine maybe suspended from, the support? ingmembers 17' by bolts .23 as shown in Fig. 3. This arrangement, however,has a disadvantage in that expansion ofthe cylinder changes the verticalposition of the center line of the cylinder structure. The operation ofthis modification is otherwise the same as the preferred form.

It will also be apparent that the supporting members 17 may be supportedupon the foundation at any suitable number of points.

Vvhile I have shown my invention in but two forms, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible ofvarious other changes and modiii 'ations without departing from thespirit thereof", and I desire, therefore, that only such limitationsshall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as arespecifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of a stationary foundation, a. turbine cylinderstructure supported at three and only three points and two longitudinalbeams each resting upon the founda tion at its ends and intermediatelyof its ends supporting the cylinder structure at one of,

said points.

2. The combination ofan elastic fluid turbine having a casing, afoundation, means for supporting the high pressure end of the turbineupon the foundation, lugs or brackets upon the turbine casing on itsopposite sides ear the exhaust end, and longitudinal beams resting uponthe foundation-at their ends and intermediately of said ends supportingsaid lugs or brackets.

3-. The combination of an elastic fluid turbine having a condenserdisposed thereunder and connected to the exhaust; chamber of theturbine, a foundation having a space in which said condenser isdisposed, and members disposed on either side ofsaid turbine and acrosssaid'space and supported on the foundation onfopposite sides of saidspace, the cylinder structure of. said turbine having a point ateachside supported from one of said members intermediately of itspointsof support.

4. The combinationof an elastic fluid turbine having acondenser disposedthereunder and connected to the exhaust chamber of the turbine, afoundation having a space in which said condenser is disposed, andlongitudinal beams disposed on either side of said turbines and acrosssaid space and having its ends supported on the foundation on oppositesides of said space, the cylinder structure of said turbine having apoint at each side supported from one of said beams intermediately ofits points of support.

5. The combination of a turbine cylinder structure, a condenser disposedbeneath the exhaust chamber thereof, a foundation having a space thereinto accommodate the condenser, means for supporting the high pressure endof the turbine cylinder structure, lugs orbrackets formed'on oppositesides of the turbine casing at, the exhaust chamber, and supportingmembers spanning the condenser space and resting at their ends upon thefoundation, and said lugs or brackets rest-' 111g upon said supportingmembers intermediately of the ends thereof.

6. The combination of ,a turbine cylinder structure having an exhaustchamber, a foundation, a bracket on each side of the cylinder at theexhaust chamber, two members each supported upon the foundation at aplurality of points and supporting a bracket intermediately of saidpoints, means for supporting the high pressure end of said structure,said means permitting longitudinal sliding but restraining lateralmovement, and means for anchoring the low pressure end of the cylinderstructure, said means permitting vertical movement only.

7. In a turbine, the combination of a cas ing supported at a singlepoint at its highpressure end and providing an exhaust chamber at thelow-pressure end, opposed lateral feet carried by the exhaustchamber-defining portion of casing and disposed intermediately of thelength of the chamber, and beams supported at their ends and, atintermediate points, supporting said feet.

8. In a turbine, the combination of a casing supported at a single pointat its high-pres- September, 1926.

ROBERT C. ALLEN."

sure end and providing an exhaust chamber at the low-pressure end, acondenser disposed beneath the casing and attached thereto at saidexhaust chamber, opposed lateral feet carried by said casing anddisposed substantially in the vertical plane passing through the centerof the condenser, and beams supported at their ends and, at intermediatepoints, supporting said feet.

9. The combination of a turbine cylinder structure having an exhaustchamber, a foundation, a bracket on each side of .the cylinder at theexhaust chamber, two members each supported upon the foundation at aplurality of points and supporting a bracket intermediately of saidpoints, means for supporting the high pressure end of said structure,means restraining lateral movement of the structure at each end thereofto prevent displacement of its axis, and means for retaining one part ofthe structure against longitudinal movement.

10. The combination of a stationary foundation, a turbine including acylinder and means for supporting the turbine on and distributing theweight thereof with respect to the foundation including a support forone end of the cylinder and disposed beneath the turbine axis, twosupports for the other end of the cylinder, the last-named supportsbeing disposed laterally at either side of the turbine axis and meansproviding for the carrying of said supports by the foundation includingat least one member supported at each end by the foundation andsupporting at an intermediate point thereof one of said sup ports.

11. The combination of a turbine cylinder

